If at first you don't succeed, rip a SystemRestore file? (to fix avideo driver oh-oh)

'Allo ME World

I'm still trying to recover from a snafu while replacing my Nv GeForce
4 Mx440 with their FX5200.

I'm about halfway there - if I'm lucky.

If you winME veterans would scan my plan and vette it against your
experience, then I would very much appreciate it. Feel free to tell me
I don't understand but, while you're at it, please point the way to
the light switch....

I got the FX5200 running on a backup drive. Seemed so easy when I had
the right stuff at the right time. Problem now is cleaning up the
original system drive. I got the Nv driver series off their web. If I
a driver cd/floppy came with the fx5200, I lost it. Or maybe that's
why it was such a bargain when I bought it?

I thought the following seven step program would do:
1. From sweet running system drive: use DeviceManager to identify the
driver file names associated with the fx5200 device. Save names in a
skeleton batch file.
2. Use a focussed Search to find the full paths with those file names.
Add them to the skeleton batch file.
3. Finish up the command file to extract each of these files from a
SystemRestore .cab file.
4. Write the batch file and RestorePoint .cab file to a CD.
5. Shutdown system, swap problematic drive in, sweet running drive
out.
6. Boot on winME Emergency Boot Diskette. Run the batch file.
7. Have the winME Install CD / Nvidia driver series CD handy then boot
to normal mode.

Especially for Mike Maltby - can System Restore .cab files be used
this way?

can System Restore .cab files be used this way?

Why are you trying to extract the files you want from an SR cab file from
a working system when, since that system is working, the files should be
readily available in a sub-directory of C:\Windows? There's also more to
installing a driver than copying files, it's infinitely better to use an
inf (or cat) file to install drivers. Further I don't understand why you
are trying to extract the files you want from the SR cabs in DOS mode (6.
Boot on winME Emergency Boot Diskette. Run the batch file.) since it is so
very much easier to do this when windows is running, that is from the GUI,
when you can see what you are doing and correct any errors as you go.

Points to note:
1) SR FS????,cab files contained archived files plus the all important
file CHANGE.LOG (see 3)
2) SR RG?????.cab files, each contains a copy of the registry when a
checkpoint was created.
3) Whilst the files stored in RG*.cab files retain their familiar names
this is not the case for files archived in FS*.cab files where virtually
all filenames have been changed to the format A000????.CPY. You will need
the associated CHANGE.LOG file to determine the original file name and its
original location for each A*.CPY file.

Personally understand why you are trying the approach you suggest rather
than booting to Safe Mode, removing the existing video driver and then
installing the correct driver but you obviously have your reasons.

Best of luck.
--
Mike Maltby



Bob wrote:

'Allo ME World

I'm still trying to recover from a snafu while replacing my Nv GeForce
4 Mx440 with their FX5200.

I'm about halfway there - if I'm lucky.

If you winME veterans would scan my plan and vette it against your
experience, then I would very much appreciate it. Feel free to tell me
I don't understand but, while you're at it, please point the way to
the light switch....

I got the FX5200 running on a backup drive. Seemed so easy when I had
the right stuff at the right time. Problem now is cleaning up the
original system drive. I got the Nv driver series off their web. If I
a driver cd/floppy came with the fx5200, I lost it. Or maybe that's
why it was such a bargain when I bought it?

I thought the following seven step program would do:
1. From sweet running system drive: use DeviceManager to identify the
driver file names associated with the fx5200 device. Save names in a
skeleton batch file.
2. Use a focussed Search to find the full paths with those file names.
Add them to the skeleton batch file.
3. Finish up the command file to extract each of these files from a
SystemRestore .cab file.
4. Write the batch file and RestorePoint .cab file to a CD.
5. Shutdown system, swap problematic drive in, sweet running drive
out.
6. Boot on winME Emergency Boot Diskette. Run the batch file.
7. Have the winME Install CD / Nvidia driver series CD handy then boot
to normal mode.

Especially for Mike Maltby - can System Restore .cab files be used
this way?

On Mar 20, 4:26*pm, "Mike M" wrote:
can System Restore .cab files be used this way?

Why are you trying to extract the files you want from an SR cab file from
a working system when, since that system is working, the files should be
readily available in a sub-directory of C:\Windows? *There's also more to
installing a driver than copying files, it's infinitely better to use an
inf (or cat) file to install drivers. *Further I don't understand why you
are trying to extract the files you want from the SR cabs in DOS mode (6.
Boot on winME Emergency Boot Diskette. Run the batch file.) since it is so
very much easier to do this when windows is running, that is from the GUI,
when you can see what you are doing and correct any errors as you go.

Points to note:
1) SR FS????,cab files contained archived files plus the all important
file CHANGE.LOG (see 3)
2) SR RG?????.cab files, each contains a copy of the registry when a
checkpoint was created.
3) Whilst the files stored in RG*.cab files retain their familiar names
this is not the case for files archived in FS*.cab files where virtually
all filenames have been changed to the format A000????.CPY. *You will need
the associated CHANGE.LOG file to determine the original file name and its
original location for each A*.CPY file.

Personally understand why you are trying the approach you suggest rather
than booting to Safe Mode, removing the existing video driver and then
installing the correct driver but you obviously have your reasons.

Best of luck.
--
Mike Maltby




Bob wrote:
'Allo ME World

I'm still trying to recover from a snafu while replacing my Nv GeForce
4 Mx440 with their FX5200.

I'm about halfway there - if I'm lucky.

If you winME veterans would scan my plan and vette it against your
experience, then I would very much appreciate it. Feel free to tell me
I don't understand but, while you're at it, please point the way to
the light switch....

I got the FX5200 running on a backup drive. Seemed so easy when I had
the right stuff at the right time. Problem now is cleaning up the
original system drive. I got the Nv driver series off their web. If I
a driver cd/floppy came with the fx5200, I lost it. Or maybe that's
why it was such a bargain when I bought it?

I thought the following seven step program would do:
1. From sweet running system drive: use DeviceManager to identify the
driver file names associated with the fx5200 device. Save names in a
skeleton batch file.
2. Use a focussed Search to find the full paths with those file names.
Add them to the skeleton batch file.
3. Finish up the command file to extract each of these files from a
SystemRestore .cab file.
4. Write the batch file and RestorePoint .cab file to a CD.
5. Shutdown system, swap problematic drive in, sweet running drive
out.
6. Boot on winME Emergency Boot Diskette. Run the batch file.
7. Have the winME Install CD / Nvidia driver series CD handy then boot
to normal mode.

Especially for Mike Maltby - can System Restore .cab files be used
this way?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hi Mike M

Thank you very much Mike,

Just figured (hoped?) that the backup harddrive had all the correct
files needed and the original drive had the correct registry. The
restore points had been wiped about Christmas. However restore points
from the backup drive would have the right files. I might be wrong
but that it was worth a try.

Per your note, I tried and successfully located NVAGP.inf, + the NV
53.04 series drivers which makes it moot.

Even so, the System Restore mechanism is more generally useful than
many give it credit for. After looking at the KB brief entry, its
plain it was meant to run in the lowest common denominator
environment. Io my way of thinking, could "easily" be extended to
defeat one obvious Achilles heel - the erratic trashing of "old"
restore points. At least ,an option to archive them by buning archives
to / restoring from CD would be useful.

Thanks again.
Bob in Oceanside

At least ,an option to archive them by buning archives
to / restoring from CD would be useful.

Something which, IMHO, is both ridiculous and unnecessary. System Restore
in NOT a substitute for making proper backups. To attempt to restore a
running system to a checkpoint created more than a couple of weeks ago is,
again IMO, pointless as there is the potential for so much to be lost for
little or no gain. That you propose this suggests to me that you may have
failed to grasp the purpose of system restore or how it works. Naturally
you are, like all of us here, entitled to your own opinion.

What I don't understand is "why" you were doing this. If you wanted a
specific driver for your video card why didn't you simply obtain a copy?
Older drivers are for the most part still available even if not openly
visible on manufacturers' web sites.
--
Mike Maltby



Bob wrote:

Thank you very much Mike,

Just figured (hoped?) that the backup harddrive had all the correct
files needed and the original drive had the correct registry. The
restore points had been wiped about Christmas. However restore points
from the backup drive would have the right files. I might be wrong
but that it was worth a try.

Per your note, I tried and successfully located NVAGP.inf, + the NV
53.04 series drivers which makes it moot.

Even so, the System Restore mechanism is more generally useful than
many give it credit for. After looking at the KB brief entry, its
plain it was meant to run in the lowest common denominator
environment. Io my way of thinking, could "easily" be extended to
defeat one obvious Achilles heel - the erratic trashing of "old"
restore points. At least ,an option to archive them by buning archives
to / restoring from CD would be useful.

Thanks again.
Bob in Oceanside

"Mike M" wrote in message
...
At least ,an option to archive them by buning archives
to / restoring from CD would be useful.

Something which, IMHO, is both ridiculous and unnecessary. System Restore
in NOT a substitute for making proper backups. To attempt to restore a
running system to a checkpoint created more than a couple of weeks ago is,
again IMO, pointless as there is the potential for so much to be lost for
little or no gain. That you propose this suggests to me that you may have
failed to grasp the purpose of system restore or how it works. Naturally
you are, like all of us here, entitled to your own opinion.

What I don't understand is "why" you were doing this. If you wanted a
specific driver for your video card why didn't you simply obtain a copy?
Older drivers are for the most part still available even if not openly
visible on manufacturers' web sites.
--
Mike Maltby



Quite so Mike. All the OP had to do was download the most recent ME drivers
from Nvidia for his 5200 (ForceWare Release 80 Version: 81.98), uninstall
the old drivers, replace the old card with the new one and install the new
drivers from the executable. Job done.
All this business about messing with SR files is beyond me when the correct
procedure is so straight forward.

GW.